Bleeding Ink

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Queen Cleo of Arloerin stared at the Krahzaran prince who sat across from her at the council table.  "You're a few months early, you know.  The treaty I set with Malik isn't due to expire until..."

"Oh, I know," Prince Kaveh grinned, his light hazel eyes sparkling as he watched her every move just as she watched his.  "Besides, I thought you'd enjoy my company while we hashed out a few...details...that I'm sure you didn't forget since the last time Arloerin and Krahzara came to an agreement."

Enjoy his company...while trying not to slap him for every smirk he gave her or every heated look.  Gods, did he think highly of himself.  Cleo eyed him carefully, his inky black hair that fell in waves down to his broad shoulders, the smooth, dark olive skin, how his gold embroidered black tunic was unbuttoned and showing off his well-toned chest.  And those eyes still watching her carefully...

Oh, yes.  He'd done this just to try and trip her up.  Like that would happen. 

She shifted in her seat, crossing one leg over the other as her hands rested gracefully on the armrests.  "I thought this was about trade of goods?"

"It is...among other things."

Cleo couldn't help it.  She let out a laugh.  "You've got some nerve coming here unexpected.  Does Malik know you're here?"

"You mean, does he know that I beat him here?  Yes.  I think he's going to try and get here soon to start talks in...oh, I don't know when.  I told him I wanted to get to know Arloerin more since, you know, if that marriage term of the previous agreement still stands between you and I..."

"Oh, please," she snorted.  "You think I don't remember that?  Your mother is still insistent upon it, too, especially now that you're of age.  But I'm sure your many lovers wouldn't take too kindly to you being married off."

"There's only one lover I can think of, actually..."

Again, Cleo laughed, throwing her head back. 

"What's so funny?" Kav asked, trying to look more innocent than she definitely knew he was.  "Is the thought of marrying me that horrific?"

"Definitely.  Besides, I wouldn't want to marry a Krahzaran prince whose head is much too big for his shoulders.  I remember when you were just a cute little nine-year-old running through these halls..."

That godsforsaken smirk pulled up one corner of his mouth.  "And now I'm almost a twenty-nine-year-old male who knows how to please every one of his lovers...and would love to find out what pleases the queen who sits in front of him now."

Biting the inside of her lip, she swallowed down a groan.  Holy gods above.

There.  He knew he had her.  Had her squirming in her seat and her thoughts running away from her.

Cleo's knee banged against the council table as she bolted up. 

Kav grinned as he fluidly stood, watching as her eyes drew up the length of his body.  Nope, he definitely wasn't the nine-year-old boy who barely stood up to her chest the first time she met him.  Now, he towered over her, purely male and muscle with magic that drew her in. 

She cleared her throat loudly.  "This meeting is now over, especially since we didn't start any kind of treaty talks."

"Like I said, I just wanted to come and explore Arloerin without my brother pestering me," Kav told her, running his fingers through his hair to draw it up in a knot at the back of his head.  "So, I'll leave you now to roam the city, taste the famous Arloerin wines, and gorge myself on too much food and maybe a few females as well.  I don't think I'll be joining you for dinner tonight if that's all right."